ARCADIA AT BRISBANE FESTIVAL

Arkhefield worked with the Brisbane Festival team to create their Arcadia event space – a place which gave the community the opportunity to experience the festival and all it had to offer, without necessarily seeing a show, but being a part of the atmosphere of the event.

The new layout – a 9000m2 riverfront site outside QPAC at Brisbane’s South Bank – was planned around two large spiegeltents and needed to house a variety of food and beverage hospitality locations, a children’s activity area, and a number of locations for roving performers, sponsorship, and all of the facilities to support such a large venture.

The design used everyday objects such as pool noodles, glad wrap, door mats and rope to create an Arcadian world – a natural utopian concept representing the fundamental balance between good and evil. It was a journey of discovery through to another world.

Our aim was to open the site as much as possible so that the public could see the activity inside. Rather than using typical high opaque fencing, we created something artistic and interactive out of ordinary site fencing; an intriguing and vibrant first hint at what is to be expected in Arcadia. The fence is woven with fabric to create both the signage as well as the illusion of a moat.

Visitors were met at the gates by a dragon in a moat, creating a strong sense of arrival and mystery. The dragon intermittently lets off smoke to create a hazy and whimsical atmosphere. An over sized welcome mat greets guests and creates an intriguing first look into Arcadia.

Upon entering Arcadia, guests find themselves under a green canopy, referencing a lush Amazonian forest (made from pool noodles). This space creates a forecourt to the event; a starting point for visitors to commence their journey of discovery.

THE STORY BEHIND THE DESIGN

As we pass the signs directing us to the festival and the “what’s on” board, we happen across a moat – why is there a moat at a festival? Well that’s where the dragons live! We pass through the moat, past the friendly pink dragons that breathe smoke and enter the amazon forest of hanging vines, glowing with pink light and under the suspension bridge which is overgrown with green. Once beyond the bridge, to the left is the giant spider’s web, she’s caught our dinner and wants us to dine. Beyond web the chameleon is dining herself, on fireflies buzzing in the trees. In the distance we see a garden splashed with colour and full of bugs. We head back past the web to the rolling planes, which are perfect for a picnic. On the other side, the snake charmer dances, entrancing the snake who is guarding her eggs. This is Arcadia.